


Proud

by panchostokes (badwolfrun)



Series: Prompt Fics [43]
Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: Comfort, Episode: s10e23 Meat Jekyll, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:33:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21653062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badwolfrun/pseuds/panchostokes
Summary: “My heart tells me to kiss you, my head tells me to walk away,” David murmurs to Nick in a low breath, frustrated that they still have to show some restraint in how their hearts truly desire to spend this time.
Relationships: David Hodges/Nick Stokes
Series: Prompt Fics [43]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1540795
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10





	Proud

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FrozenMemories](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenMemories/gifts).



On nights like these, he wishes he wasn’t in love. 

_That’s not true, stop being so dramatic. You just wish you weren’t in love with him,_ he thinks to himself. 

And that’s not true either. He isn’t ashamed of his love for David Hodges, quite the opposite. A bit surprised, maybe, because if you asked him on the day that he was introduced to the man over six years ago, he never would have thought he’d be in a relationship with David. But this job has told him to expect the unexpected, roll with the punches, and that life is too short to not to take that dive, insecurities be damned. Love who you love, so long as it’s not hurting you or others.

Yet, he’s cautious, because he knows what this job can do to relationships. The moral weight of the crimes they investigate is heavy enough, and he’s seen it cause a strain on relationships before. And not only that, but he fears what would happen if their relationship was public, given that Nick seemed to have an eternal target on his back and a penchant for drawing the attention of dangerous criminals. He doesn’t want David to suffer because of him, because some lunatic decides to go after his loved ones to get to him. 

It’s this night that serves as a painful reminder of that, as Nick sits in a hospital bed, his shoulder patched with bloodied bandages, his arm in a sling. While David had not been as invested in this serial killer case as he was with the miniature killer case--Nick still has nightmares in which Natalie Davis had gone after David, crafted miniature crime scenes with miniature David dolls that cause Nick to wake up in a cold sweat--Nick himself was put in harm’s way, and had Jekyll survived the ordeal, he may have wanted to get revenge. 

He made sure to call David himself, rather than allow the word to travel through the mouths of his co-workers as they relay Nick’s status to the rest of the department. He jokingly asked for him to bring a pizza, or else he’d “kick his ass,” which had gotten a chuckle out of David that made his heart flutter, happy to show that he hadn’t lost his sense of humor in the face of a traumatic experience.

David shows up, with Wendy and pizza at his side, and though the rest of the team had started to trickle out, he still saw them lingering in the hallways under the guise of mingling with fellow members of law enforcement that had also shown up to both support and congratulate Nick on his take-down of the dangerous serial killer they were investigating. 

Wendy excuses herself after a few minutes, leaving a rare moment for Nick and David to spend alone, though with watchful eyes occasionally glancing through the glass. 

Nick hates to admit it, but he’s used to the sensation of being watched by now.

“My heart tells me to kiss you, my head tells me to walk away,” David murmurs to Nick in a low breath, frustrated that they still have to show some restraint in how their hearts truly desire to spend this time. He doesn’t quite know what to do with his hands, doesn’t want to make Nick’s injured arm feel any worse than it already does. He settles for patting his hand against Nick’s uninjured arm, which turns into a subtle stroke. He steals another quick stroke, this time, of his flattened hair, brushing it up before curling his hand back to his side. 

“Mine too,” Nick affirms, with a firm clap onto David’s shoulder, which he uses to keep himself steady as his bare feet are turning clammy on the hospital floor. 

He wants nothing more than to kiss David, celebrate their love, their life, because once again, Nick came face to face with the Reaper himself, and gave him the bird. He still has business here on earth, so much to say, so much to do.

With David Hodges.

Perhaps it’s the painkillers, perhaps it’s the remnants of adrenaline coursing through his veins, but he mutters a curse and cups his good hand behind David’s neck, and pulls him in close, but not for a hug.

Their lips meet, their tongues dance, he can feel all the pairs of eyes directing their attention to the two men, can hear the whispers and gasps, but he doesn’t care whether they’re positive or not. All he cares about is this moment, this display of love, because he’s _proud_ to be in love with David Hodges, and wants the whole world to know it.


End file.
